Sorry this one took so long. Work schedule made it difficult to make time to write. :) But I am off tomorrow, so hopefully I will get another chapter or two out tomorrow or so.

Chapter 16

"Stay here. " Sherlock commanded quietly as he held his hand out to stop her as Molly started to get up. She started to argue, but then noticed his eyes had turned to ice.

With one last look at her, Sherlock disappeared into the hallway, inching his way towards the livingroom. A quick glance saw the edge of Laura's nightgown, at least the top half. The rest was blocked quite thoroughly by Gabriel's body. A few more inches, and he could see her face. She was looking up, a perplexed look on her face. Laura cast a side ways glance at her father, and quirked an eye brow at him.

"Isn't it manners to knock before coming in to someone's house, daddy? "

Sherlock was proud that the little one had stayed so calm. He just didn't know if the calm was because of Gabriel, or if she knew the person who had invaded thier abode, quite impolitely, apparently. Either, way it calmed his fear and anger a bit. He slowly placed his hands clasped together at the small of his back.

"Yes, sweetheart. " He confirmed. " Good of you to remember. "

As he rounded around a bit, the site he saw was surprisingly comical.

Standing to one corner, wedged next to the refrigerator was Mycroft. Ah, someone she knew. Well, what she'd be able to SEE of Mycroft. Most of his body was shielded by his now open umbrella, fending off the dogs growls.

"It is also, Laura, considered bad luck to open an umbrella indoors. If one believes in such a thing. " He said smirking.

"I will put it away once you call of that beast, Sherlock. " Mycroft said as stoically as possible.

"Not my dog. " Sherlock shrugged.

"I don't worry about Uncle Mycroft. HER I don't know. " Laura said, nodding to the side.

Sherlock came the rest of the way in and followed the direction.

And stopped short.

There, standing on the table clutching a toaster poised to throw it like a basketball, ...was Irene Adler.

All occupants of the room stood staring from one to the other for several long moments. The trance was broken when a soft knock sounded on the door before it opened.

" Hey, anyone up? I brought pastr... " John entered the room carrying a large paper bag and stood staring at the scene before him.

"I've missed something, haven't I? " John said, finally looking to Sherlock.

"Not at all. " Sherlock replied, a tremble to his lips as he tried not to laugh.

John looked down at Gabriel, who just spared him a glance. He already knew John's scent from the play at the sweets shop.

"Sherlock? " they heard the quiet query from the main bedrooms doorway.

" Ah, Molly my love. Come join us. We have quite a party started. " Sherlock said, leaning back to look at her, smiling to reassure her before shouting.. " Mrs Hudson! "

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Laura and Gabriel safely ensconced down stairs being fussed over as any grandchild would, Sherlock sat in his chair and let his eyes go between Mycroft and Miss Adler. Waiting for an explaination.

Irene spoke first.

"I know this has to be a bit of a shock, seeing me here. " She purred at Sherlock.

" Knew you'd turn up at some point. " Sherlock mumbled " Rather you didn't. "

"I came to help. I just got the news that Lucy... "

"Lucy? You knew miss Dettle? Or did you know what she liked? "

"No. Nothing like that. ".

Sherlock looked at her keenly. She was avoiding eye contact, biting her lip.

"So, what help do believe you have for us? " Molly said, her chin high, reaching for Sherlock's hand, which he accepted, twining his fingers with hers. She had once been jealous of Irene Adler, but no more. Even with all Irene's appeal and feminine whiles, Molly still got the prize, didn't she?

"Information. I owe you, and I don't like owing anyone. Gives others too much power over you. You saved my life. "

"Moving on. " Sherlock said, sounding bored.

"Yes, well... I had known about you for a long time before we met. I wasn't privy to most of Jim's plans. But some he asked my assistance on. "

"Like? "

"I am the one who brought Miss Huntington to New York. I also arranged for the paperwork to move forward after her death, to ensure Laura got put in Lucy's custody. "

"Let me guess, you knew the hospital administrator? "

"Knew what he liked. " She said with a sad grin. " He was able to force Mrs. Lennox to push the paperwork to priority. I arranged the housing for Lucy and Laura. Aside from that... I only arranged packages for Jim. "

"Did you know what were in them? " John asked his jaw tight.

"Never. I knew better than to ask. "

Sherlock stood up abruptly and went to stand in front of Irene. He bent down, his cold eyes scanning her face at close range.

"Did you know what he was doing to my daughter? " He said in a deceptively calm voice Miss Adler correctly deduced was quite lethal.

Irene sat quietly, trying to choose her words carefully.

" Jim wasn't forthcoming with a lot of details. At least not with me. My survival depended on information I acquired about people. I had loads of information on him, but nothing I could prove. That made things unstable. He never did like getting his hands dirty, remember. " she said nervously looking away from the sudden pain in his eyes.

"Oh, he got his hands dirty. When it counted. " He said, images of him striking Laura going through his mind, fury rising in him again.

"Y...yes. Well... back then...when I was gathering the information from you, I did as I was told. I was afraid not to. My job was to..." She stopped, looking over at Molly before reaching Sherlock's gaze again.

"Seduce information out of you. Or chide it. I think now that he didn't really care much about the terror cell he was working with for that plane. He was trying to keep me from learning too much about Laura. See, I had been bringing a package to the place in Yonkers. Lucy was terrified of Jim. She'd grown attached to the child. She'd told me that she didn't know exactly what he was doing to her, but was convinced he was trying to make her...less human, shall we say. She had made plans to escape with the girl. It was quite a brilliant plan. But I...im so sorry Sherlock... I valued my own life to that of Lucy and the girl. "

"Her NAME is Laura. "

"Yes. I...I know. Saying her name makes things... "

"Go on. "

Irene swallowed.

" I delivered the package to his rather large friend who was in charge of security. He was the only man who could turn away from me. entirely"

"I did. "

"Well, not entirely, now did you? " She said, a smirk of courage popping out.

Sherlock felt rather than saw Molly stiffen. He chose to ignore it, for now.

"You tell me you delivered packages, but didn't know what was in them? " Sherlock scoffed.

"Not specifically. I picked them up from a courier in Switzerland, and delivered them. The packages were very light, and were delivered only once a month. But they had to be delivered on time. Jim was very insistent none be missed or late. "

Sherlock started to pace.

"The injections. " He said, looking at Mycroft.

"Obviously. " Mycroft agreed, tipping his head back to look down his nose at Miss Adler.

"So, how much did Miss Dettle tell you? " John asked in the new silence.

"She told me that Jim had to caring for Darcy during her pregnancy. He'd told her that the father of the child was not to be trusted. But Darcy had known better. She spoke of your kindness, your ... " She studdered at Sherlock's scoffing sound. " ...your vulnerabilities. Apparently you are quite chatty when high on heroine. Darcy had also said you were the smartest man she knew. Special. "

"Did Darcy use heroine while she was pregnant with Laura? "

"Not intentionally. She had no official prenatal visits. She was given injections she was told were prenatal precautions, and most of those had small doses of it in them. Along with something else. Something to make Laura develop...differently. Don't ask me how, I am not the scientist. Most of the rest Lucy told me was speculation. She believed that between what Darcy had told her about you, and the things she saw, that she had figured out at least a little of what he was doing. "

"Which was? "

"He was trying to make...you. One he could control and use for his own purposes. Do things he was unable to. Im sure now one day he would use her against you. "

Sherlock stepped back. " My heart. "

Irene took a deep breath and nodded.

"...and your most dangerous enemy. "